This invention relates generally to the growth of thin-films upon semiconductor-based materials and relates, more particularly, to the means and methods by which the growth of such thin-films in a high vacuum facility can be controlled.
The growth of thin-films in a high vacuum facility may be monitored with Reflection High Energy Electron Diffraction (RHEED) techniques involving the use of a high energy electron beam emitted from an electron gun to diffract electrons off of a substrate (i.e. target) surface at a glancing angle. These diffracted electrons are diffracted in a pattern which provides crystallographic information of the film surface. More specifically, each crystallographic condition of the film surface evidences a signature electron diffraction pattern so that during a thin-film growth process, a desired crystallographic condition of the film surface can be substantiated by an electron diffraction pattern which is indicative of the desired crystallographic condition.
However, to obtain desired RHEED measurements by conventional techniques, the substrate upon which the thin film is grown is rigidly mounted within the high vacuum facility and must typically, on occasion, be physically adjusted in position relative to the electron gun. Of course, in order to make adjustments in the position of the substrate, the film growth process must be halted and the facility may even have to be opened to gain access to the substrate. It follows that this conventional technique is time-consuming and is not well-suited for mass production techniques.
An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved process and system for use during the growth of thin-films upon a substrate surface in a HV facility enabling the film growth process to be efficiently controlled.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a process which is well-suited for mass production techniques.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide such a process which is uncomplicated to perform yet effective in operation.